Convection conveyor oven manifold and damper system

Abstract

A gas manifold for a convection conveyor oven includes an elongated housing having a wall that at least partially encloses an interior volume; a gas inlet in fluid communication with the interior volume and extending through the wall; a plurality of gas outlets in fluid communication with the interior volume and extending through the wall; a plurality of seat inserts removably coupled with a plurality of gas outlets; a plurality of valve openings formed in the wall and aligned opposite the plurality of gas outlets; and at least one valve removably coupled to the wall and aligned with a first valve opening, wherein the valve is aligned with a first gas outlet and has a first position in which a first seat insert is not in fluid communication with the gas inlet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A gas manifold comprising:
 a housing having an interior volume, wherein the interior volume defines a first chamber and a second chamber, wherein each of the first chamber and the second chamber is positioned between a first end and a second opposite end of the interior volume;   a gas inlet in the housing and in fluid communication with a gas supply and the first chamber;   a valve in fluid communication with the first chamber and the second chamber, wherein the valve is operable to selectively control a flow of gas from the first chamber to the second chamber; and   a plurality of gas outlets in the housing and in fluid communication with the interior volume, the gas outlets spaced along the housing, and   wherein at least one of the gas outlets is positioned to discharge gas from the first chamber and at least another of the gas outlets is positioned to discharge gas from the second chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The gas manifold of  claim 1 , wherein the valve is a shut off valve. 
     
     
         3 . The gas manifold of  claim 1 , wherein the valve is a variable flow valve. 
     
     
         4 . The gas manifold of  claim 1 , wherein the valve is a first valve, and further comprising a second valve operable to control a flow of gas through the gas inlet to the first chamber. 
     
     
         5 . The gas manifold of  claim 4 , wherein the second valve is a variable flow valve. 
     
     
         6 . The gas manifold of  claim 4 , wherein the each of the first valve and the second valve is positioned external to the housing. 
     
     
         7 . The gas manifold of  claim 1 , further comprising a first conduit and a second conduit, the first conduit in fluid communication with the first chamber and an inlet of the valve and the second conduit in fluid communication with an outlet of the valve and the second chamber. 
     
     
         8 . The gas manifold of  claim 1 , wherein the housing has a longitudinal axis and a length, wherein the entire length of the housing extends in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         9 . The gas manifold of  claim 1 , wherein the valve is positioned external to the housing. 
     
     
         10 . A gas manifold comprising:
 a housing having an interior volume, wherein the interior volume defines a longitudinal axis between a first end and a second opposite end of the interior volume, wherein the interior volume also defines a first chamber and a second chamber, wherein each of the first chamber and the second chamber is positioned along the longitudinal axis and between the first end and the second opposite end of the interior volume;   a first gas inlet in the housing and in fluid communication with a gas supply and the first chamber;   a second gas inlet in the housing and in fluid communication with the gas supply and the second chamber,   a first valve operable to selectively control a flow of gas from the gas supply to the first chamber and the second chamber;   a second valve downstream from the first valve and operable to selectively control the flow of gas from the first valve to the second chamber; and   a plurality of gas outlets in the housing and in fluid communication with the interior volume and spaced along the housing, wherein at least one of the gas outlets is positioned to discharge gas from the first chamber and at least another of the gas outlets is positioned to discharge gas from the second chamber.   
     
     
         11 . The gas manifold of  claim 10 , wherein the first valve is a variable flow valve and the second valve is a shut off valve. 
     
     
         12 . A gas manifold comprising:
 a housing having an interior volume, wherein the interior volume defines a first chamber and a second chamber, wherein each of the first chamber and the second chamber is positioned between a first end and a second opposite end of the interior volume;   a gas inlet in the housing and in fluid communication with a gas supply and the first chamber;   a valve operable to selectively control a flow of gas from the first chamber to the second chamber;   a first conduit and a second conduit, the first conduit in fluid communication with the first chamber and an inlet of the valve and the second conduit in fluid communication with an outlet of the valve and the second chamber; and   a plurality of gas outlets in the housing and in fluid communication with the interior volume and spaced along the housing, and   wherein at least one of the gas outlets is positioned to discharge gas from the first chamber and at least another of the gas outlets is positioned to discharge gas from the second chamber.   
     
     
         13 . The gas manifold of  claim 12 , wherein the valve is positioned external to the housing. 
     
     
         14 . A gas manifold comprising:
 a housing having an interior volume, wherein the interior volume defines a longitudinal axis between a first end and a second opposite end of the interior volume, wherein the interior volume also defines a first chamber and a second chamber, wherein each of the first chamber and the second chamber extends along the longitudinal axis and is positioned between the first end and the second opposite end of the interior volume, wherein the second chamber is downstream from and in selective fluid communication with the first chamber;   a gas inlet in the housing and in fluid communication with a gas supply and the first chamber;   a valve operable to selectively control a flow of gas from the gas supply to the first chamber; and   a plurality of gas outlets in the housing and in fluid communication with the interior volume and spaced along the housing, wherein at least one of the gas outlets is positioned to discharge gas from the first chamber and at least another of the gas outlets is positioned to discharge gas from the second chamber.   
     
     
         15 . The gas manifold of  claim 14 , wherein the valve is a first valve, and further comprising a second valve operable to control a flow of gas from the first chamber to the second chamber. 
     
     
         16 . The gas manifold of  claim 15 , wherein the second valve is positioned external to the housing. 
     
     
         17 . The gas manifold of  claim 15 , wherein the second valve is positioned within the housing. 
     
     
         18 . The gas manifold of  claim 15 , wherein the second valve has a first position in which all of the plurality of gas outlets are in fluid communication with the gas inlet and a second position in which at least one of the gas outlets of the plurality of gas outlets is not in fluid communication with the gas inlet. 
     
     
         19 . The gas manifold of  claim 14 , wherein the housing comprises an integral wall that defines the interior volume. 
     
     
         20 . The gas manifold of  claim 19 , wherein all of the gas outlets of the plurality of gas outlets are positioned along the integral wall.